The Pod

Mourinho is out at Manchester United. Ed & Paul are f*cking delighted.

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There have been some bad performances at Anfield over the years, but few where United were so thoroughly dominated. Humiliated even. José Mourinho set United up to come away with a scoreless draw. Instead, Liverpool took 36 shots to United’s six. Just one barometer of how completely Mourinho has failed at the club. It is surely time for the manager to go.

In a packed episode, Ed & Paul discuss all the fallout from United’s games against Southampton, Arsenal, and Fulham. There’s plenty to talk about, with United dropping more points and José Mourinho falling out with club vice-captain Paul Pogba.

José Mourinho enjoyed it. Marouane Fellaini enjoyed it. But did the watching public enjoy it? The Belgian’s late winner against Young Boys ensured qualification for the Champions League Round of 16, but it capped another mediocre performance in a mediocre week from Mourinho’s team.

In typically farcical fashion, José Mourinho claimed Manchester City had “everything nice and easy” ahead of the Blues’ thumping victory over United in the derby last weekend. The excuse-ladened fallout from United’s beating at the hands of the club’s most bitter rivals to capped a week of mixed fortune.

It is becoming a habit. Another Manchester United win, another second half performance. This time, United won at Bournemouth, but it took a second half comeback and a late Marcus Rashford goal to secure the points.

Anthony Martial is back. After scoring a worldie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the Manchester United forward followed up with another fine strike against Everton. He wanted to leave in the summer, but does the Frenchman now have a better outlook at the club?

Has a Manchester United manager ever so obviously self-immolated in the way that José Mourinho did in the defeat at West Ham on Saturday? What manager – a Manchester United manager at that – picks the team Mourinho selected, in the shape in which they were deployed, and then uses those substitutes? It is almost as if Mourinho was asking to be put out of his misery.